The University of Maryland is set to adopt most of the recommendations from a task force on community policing.
Twenty-one of the 23 recommendations by the Community Policing Task Force at the University of Maryland College Park are included in the latest plans to improve public safety on campus.
University President Darryll Pines said the goal is to create “more collaborative and trusting relationships” between police and the community.
Among the recommendations: having mental health personnel serve as first responders on mental health calls and having ongoing diversity training for police officers.
Other recommendations that Pines said will be implemented include requiring mental health screening for all police officers prior to hiring, the continuation of annual training on de-escalation, use of force, implicit bias, diversity and inclusion. Some of the recommendations being adopted are already in place.
Two of the 23 recommendations are not being implemented as outlined in the task force report.
Instead of establishing an independent Office of Community Safety and a new Policing Review Board, a Campus Safety Advisory Council will be formed. Pines said the council would be comprised of faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate students.
The full report can be found online.
